Chronic liver disease is a mounting problem worldwide, and one that is greatly compounded when combined with other precipitating events (eg, alcohol-related or viral hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury), which is termed acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Although ACLF has been described only relatively recently, it represents a significant contributor to mortality.
The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) convened a team of experts with the goal of helping clinicians recognize and appropriately manage ACLF. This resulted in practice guidelines recently published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.